Pratik Handore
‘Yellowstone‘ has successfully dealt with the responsibility of juggling a wide array of characters and continues doing so in its fourth season. However, the series is also not shy of dropping new characters into the pool that can dramatically impact the storyline.
In the past, characters such as the Beck brothers and Walker have been game-changers, and the introduction of a new character in the fifth episode of season 4 could have similar implications on the storyline. Naturally, viewers must be intrigued by the arrival of Summer Higgins, and here’s everything you need to know about her!
Who Is Summer Higgins in Yellowstone?
In ‘Yellowstone’ season 4, actress Piper Perabo (‘The Big Leap‘) essays the role of Summer Higgins, with the character first making an appearance in the fifth episode of the season. In the episode titled ‘Under a Blanket of Red,’ Kayce arrives at the Livestock Department’s office and finds that a group of animal rights activists is holding a protest. Later, John comes to diffuse the situation after things get out of hand.
John learns that Summer is leading the protest, and she has been previously apprehended for aggressive protesting in various states. She tells John that the group is protesting against a state-sponsored outfit (i.e., the Livestock Department) that encourages animal farming and slaughter. John is unimpressed by Summer’s views and tells the Livestock agents to press charges against Summer, thus disbanding the protest. He later bails Summer out of jail.
Not much is known about Summer’s past or her reason for being in Montana, but the state’s animal husbandry-dependent economy seems like an attractive prospect for an activist. Perabo has teased that her character will become aware of the dangers that Market Equities’ airport construction poses to nature and animal life in the area, prompting her to protest against it.
Is Summer Higgins Related to John Dutton?
In ‘Yellowstone,’ a lot of the key characters are somehow connected to the Duttons, and not every member is family by blood. John paying for Summer’s bail might make viewers wonder whether she has some hidden connection to the Duttons. Moreover, John offers to take Summer to the Yellowstone Ranch, and viewers are plenty aware that not just anyone is welcome on the Duttons’ land, especially not outsiders. Lastly, Summer possesses the same level of fearless determination and grit as the Duttons.
Despite all these favorable notes, Summer does not appear to be related to John. By helping Summer, John is taking a different approach in handling a potential conflict. John wants a chance to show Summer his side of things and help her understand the nature and importance of their work at the ranch. He could also be the one to direct Summer’s attention towards the airport construction.
Thus, John’s interest in Summer stems from the potential benefit he can gain from her activism. A widespread protest campaign against Market Equities could derail many of their projects in the Bozeman, Montana, region. Therefore, Summer could become a very useful player for John, despite their contrasting worldviews.
Read More: Why Did Kayce Leave the Yellowstone Ranch? Will He Come Back?
